Improvement in harvester-cutters



UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVES'l'YER-,CUTTERS Specification forming part-ofLetters Patent No. 98,456, dated December 28, 1869.

hFig. 4, a plan view of one of the cutters detached; Fig. 5, amodification of Fig. 4.

The letters of reference indicate the saine parts in the differentfigures.

My invention relates to anew and improved mode of attaching the cuttersto the'cntterbar, which admits of their convenient removal for thepurpose of grinding or sharpening or replacement when worn or injured.

A is the cuttei` bnr, which has secured to l its upper surface theT-pieces B. These are placed equidistant from each other in alineparallel to the front of the har and at a dis'- tance from center tocenter equal to the width of one of the cutters. 'lhe shafts or verticalparts a ot' the T-pieces are circular in their horizontal section fromthe cutter-harto a` height equal to the thickness of thc cutte'is, andact as pivots therefor. C, I), and E are the cutters, each madeseparately, as shown in Fig. et, with the cutting-edges at an acuteangle; or they may be formed with any desired angle; or each cutter maybe formed with two or more cutting-teeth, as shown inFig. 5. The rearends of the cutters, which rest on the cutter-har, are rounded oit'sufticiently to enable them to revolve on their pivots a a sufficientdistance, which in the present instance will be about sixty degrecs.Each cutter is provided with a slot, b,

" of a proper size and shape to fit the T and its circular shaft a.

The position of the slots or T-pieces in relation to the cutter-bar canbe varied from that shown in the drawings, so as to admit the removal ofany individual cutter without taking oft' the others, by moving thecutter E a suffi cient distance on its axis of'rotation in the directionshown in dotted lines at E, and so on in succession until the cutter tohe removed is reached, when it can be disconnected from the T. The partsbeing formed as above described, the teeth are attached to the cutterharA in the following manner, viz:

The cutter C is tirst placed with its slot corresponding with its TpieceB, which in this instance is rigidly fastened, but may he made inovahlein the position indicated in dotted lines at E, resting on thecutter-bar. It is then turned upon the pivot a untiLthe straight portiond of its side comes in close contact with the shoulder e, the arms ofthe T-pieces crossing the slot-s and holding the cutter irmly to the harA. D is then puton in the same manner, one ot' its sides coming vincontact with the corresponding part of C,

already in position.

Any required number of cutters can be put on by the same means,requiring no other fastening than the T crossing the slot, and theircontact with their immediate neighbors on hoth sides, excepting the lastone of the series',

which is represented by E. This must he held in position by auxiliarymeans, such asalto screw or holt c, set-screw g, or by any otherconvenient device.

The grinding of cutters for harvestersand mowing-machines, where theyare all fdrm-ed upon one piece of metal, is atroublesomefoperation,requiring special machinery, and when one or moreteeth are broken by contact with stones, stumps, &c., or by any otheraccident, the whole machine is disabled until a new set 1s obtained 5hut by the simple and convenient devices above described the cutters canheremoved and replaced at aminimum cost of both money and time, and heground upon the common grindstone found upon almost every farm.

Having thus fully describedgmy improve ments, what l claim as myinvent-ion, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'lhe combination of the slotted cutters, the T-pieces, and cutter-har,arranged to operate substantially as described.

FREDERICK WITTRAM.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, Ct BESTOR.

